Eaton Group, the London-based business and industry caterer, has appointed Rebecca Thomas managing director following the departure of Alan Walker.
Walker said he had resigned "after six very happy years to explore new business opportunities both inside and outside the catering industry".
Thomas, who joined Eaton as strategic director in April 2003, has the immediate task of restructuring the business and carrying out a "brand revitalisation", the company announced last week. She was previously managing director of Sodexho-owned Directors Table.
In the past 12 months Eaton has won 17 new contracts and increased its turnover from £15m to £22m. The new contracts include deals with the Royal Society, European bank Soci‚t‚ G‚n‚rale, the Competition Commission and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, which includes running the institute's public restaurant, Esca.
Thomas said: "This strong growth trend is set to continue. We plan to achieve this by refreshing the company in line with the needs of a changing market by making our offer more contemporary and focused."